Arrest of two directors with ‘hybrid ganja': excise serves notice on director Sameer Thahir
They were arrested from an apartment near Marine Drive that belonged to Mr. Thahir. Reportedly, he has been asked to appear within a week. Another person, Shalif Muhammad, was also arrested along with the directors.
Among other things, the excise may ask Mr. Thahir whether he was aware of and had given consent to the use of ganja in his apartment, an offence which may attract the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act Section 25A (punishment for using property for illegal drug activities). The apartment is purportedly being used for film-related discussions and work.
According to excise officials, the director duo was about to use ganja when they were nabbed from the apartment. Shalif had reportedly bought the contraband from a supplier in Kerala. While the excise has details about the supplier, including his mobile phone number, he could not be tracked yet. More details about the source of the drug could be known only after apprehending him, said excise sources.
The accused may be further summoned if the investigation officer gets any fresh leads warranting it. Mr. Rahman is the director of movies Alappuzha Gymkhana, Thallumala and Unda, while Mr. Hamsa directed Thamaasha and Bheemante Vazhi.
Since the quantity in their possession was small, the accused were released on bail. They reportedly claimed that they converged at the apartment to discuss a movie. According to excise sources, the duo had escaped by a whisker in a similar raid at the apartment in March. Since then, the FEFKA Directors' Union has decided to suspend the two directors. The raid was carried out on specific intelligence input, complete with the apartment details.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
RPF, NIB-CID seize 12 kg of ganja from Kerala-bound train
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Narcotics Intelligence Bureau CID (NIB-CID) seized 12 kg of ganja from a Kerala-bound train at Coimbatore railway station on Wednesday. The RPF said that it conducted a joint drive along with sleuths from the NIB-CID against drugs and other contraband substances at Coimbatore railway station on Wednesday. They searched coaches of Sabari Express (17230), which runs between Secunderabad and Thiruvananthapuram, as it arrived at the station at 8 a.m. They noticed a white colour bag that was left unattended in a suspicious manner near the lavatory of an unreserved coach. No passengers in the coach claimed ownership of the bag when the personnel enquired with them. They opened the bag and found that it was stuffed with ganja. The contraband weighed around 12 kg, fetching a market value of about ₹6 lakh. The NIB-CID took custody of the contraband and registered a case under Sections 8 (c) read with 20 (b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Further investigation is on.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Man held with 1.25kg of ganja
T'puram: Chadayamangalam excise range officers arrested a man with 1.25kg of ganja during a patrol at Kadakkal on Tuesday night. According to excise officials, the arrested person Sachin, 31, an executive committee member of the Congress party in Kummil, attempted to flee upon spotting the excise team but was caught after a brief chase. Officers discovered the illegal substance during a search of his bag. "There were complaints against him even before, as he was the key supplier of the drug in the locality. During the raids last time, he escaped narrowly, but was under surveillance," Chadayamangalam excise inspector Rajesh A K said. Authorities have seized the suspect's mobile phone to investigate potential connections to a larger drug network. While this marks Sachin's first arrest under the NDPS Act, officials noted previous intelligence about his involvement in drug trafficking . Following his arrest, Sachin was produced before the court and charged under Section 22(b) II(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. He has since been remanded to custody.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Australia revokes Kanye West's visa over Heil Hitler song: ‘We don't need that'
Malayalam actor Minu Muneer was arrested by Kochi Cyber Police following a defamation complaint from filmmaker Balachandra Menon over derogatory social media posts. Muneer, who was released on bail, had previously accused several industry figures, including actor Mukesh, of sexual misconduct. Her allegations have sparked controversy in the Malayalam film industry, leading to significant discussions within the community.
